Cherokee Indians

Cherokee Indians Up to 1850 By Cassandra Garkow, Donna, Seth Watts Hum 350 1 February 2005

Children at Play

Children at Play • Work vs. Play • Games • Lacrosse • Tug of War • Hoop Game • Blow Guns • “Samuel’s Memory”

Study Questions 1. What was a common game played among the Cherokee children and what was it used for? 2. Some of the games and toys used were to develop certain types of skills. What were the skills being developed ? Name two.

Cherokee Education

Cherokeeeducation • Before the Europeans came to America, old Cherokee men would educate the children about their culture by telling them stories about how Cherokee land was created. • After Europeans arrived, they tried to convince the Cherokee to let them open schools for the children. It would give them a way to spread their religious beliefs. • In 1801, the Cherokee agreed to let the white men open a school because they wanted their children to have the tools to resist the white men’s efforts to take over their land.

Cherokee education cont. • The first school, called Moravian Brethren, taught children reading, writing, and arithmetic. Some kids were also taught English, grammar, and geography. • Children were also taught economical skills such as how to make clothes. • Children mainly learned in English until a Cherokee man named Sequoyah invented the Cherokee alphabet, which was taught in schools soon after.

Cherokee education cont. • Before the Cherokee were forced to leave the South during the Trail of Tears, they relied on the missionaries to educate their children. • Soon after reaching their destination, they established a national school system.

Study Question • What was the Cherokees’ reason for letting the white men open a school to teach their children? • What man made it possible for children to be educated in their native language?

The Trail of Tears

The Trail of Tears 1838-1839 What occurred prior to the Native Americans being forced to relocate in the West? • They were forced into detention camps or stockades. • The children were often separated from their families and driven into the stockades without blankets or shelter • The children were repeatedly raped and forced to perform acts of depravation

The Trail of Tears 1838-1839 How were the children affected during the Trail of Tears? • Many lost their parents and so were cared for by members of their clan • The very young were allowed to ride in the wagons but most had to walk the majority of the 1,000 mile journey • The majority of the deaths were children • Causes were starvation, cold, hardship, measles, cholera, dysentery, whooping cough, colds, influenza, diarrhea, fevers, and gonorrhea

Cherokee IndiansandGender Roles

Gender RolesGirls Cherokee girls, learned many handcrafts that were passed down from there mothers and generation to generation. The Crazy Quilt was a favorite among the Cherokees, because it was similar to the Cherokee "rag-cloth" of ancient times which utilized the scraps from many different sewing projects Girls helped there mothers do most of the tending of the crop and gardens.

Gender RolesBoys • Boys went hunting with there dads for meat mainly bear, elk, and buffalo. In the late 1800’s they began to stay closer to home when they started raising cattle • Boys also strived to posses many talents and accomplishments so when they grow up, they could become part of the tribal council when they grew to become men. • The boys also loved a traditional game called Stick Ball (which was a game played with branches and different types of items to make what we would call a ball.)

Study Question • What are some Gender Roles for Cherokee Boys? • What are some Gender Roles for Cherokee Girls?

Cherokee Technology

Cherokee TechnologyHousing • The Cherokee people historically lived in houses made of mud and clay with roofs of brush and river cane. In the winter time, they lived in even smaller clay and mud houses which included the construction of the roof, as well, in order to keep warm. • By the late 1700’s, many Cherokees were living in log cabins

Cherokee TechnologyMusical Instruments • The Water Drum • The River Cane flute • Trumpets • Turtle shells Rattles

Cherokee TechnologyHunting and Warfare weapons • Bows and Arrows • Spears • Tomahawks • Blowguns

Old Indian Carrier New Baby Carrier Cherokee TechnologyBaby Carrier

Study questions • What were turtle shells used for in the Cherokee culture? • What was most commonly used by the Cherokee's when they hunted and fought in wars?

Bibliography • Auderbac, Susan. (1994). Cherokee Indians. In Encyclopedia of Multiculturalism. (Vol. 1, pp. 132). New York: Marshall Cavendish Publishing. • Brown, Brenda K. and Marcelle, Edwards S. (1982). Cherokee and proud of it. South Pittsburg: Huster. • Brown, John P. (1938). Old Frontiers: The Story of Cherokee from the Earliest Times to the Date of There Removal West. Kingsport, Tn: Southern Publishings. • Claro, Nicole. (1992). The Cherokee Indians. Mexico: Chelsea House Publishers. • Collier, Peter. (1973). When Shall They Rest? The Cherokees Long Struggles With America. New York: Holt Rinehart, and Winston. • Foreman, Grant. The Five Civilized Tribes. Oklahoma: The University of Oklahoma Press, 1934

Bibliography • Lund, Bill. (1997). The Cherokee Indians. Minnesota: Capstone Press. • Reitman, Irvin M. (1964). Red Men of Fire, A History of the Cherokee Indians. Springfield, Il: Charles C. Thomas Publishing. • Starkey, Marion L. The Cherokee Nation. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1946. • Von Dassanowsky, Eiter R. (2000). Cherokees. In Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America. (2nd Ed, Vol. 1, pp. 362-372). D.C: Gale Publishing • www.cherokeehistory.com • www.geocities.com/cherokee_kids.html • www.neosoft.com/powersource/cherokee/history.html

Cherokee Indians